Traverse mechanism for spinning machines



July 16, 1963 N. HOOPER ETAL 3,097,475

TRAVERSE MECHANISM FOR SPINNING MACHINES Filed March 29, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 16, 1963 HOOPER ETAL 3,097,475

TRAVERSE MECHANISM FOR SPINNING MACHINES Filed March 29, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 16, 1963 N. HOOPER ETAL 3,097,475

TRAVERSE MECHANISM FOR SPINNING MACHINES Filed March 29, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 STOP DOOR NTERLOCKS United States Patent 3,097,475 TRAVERSE MECHANISM FOR SPDINING MACHINES Norbert Hooper, Castlcton, Rochdale, and Fred Ratchife,

Rochdale, Engiand, assignors to Tweedales & Smalley Limited, Rochdale, England, a British company Filed Mar. 29, 1961, Ser. No. 994E812 12 Claims. (Cl. 57-99) The present invention relates to textile ring spinning frames and like textile machines in which the building of a yarn into a package or bobbin is effected by the regular lifting and lowering of a traverse rail.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for lifting and lowering a traverse rail in a textile spinning or like machine, comprising an input drive shaft, an oscillatory output drive shaft coupled to the traverse rail to impart a lifting and lowering motion to the rail, and two drive paths connected in parallel between the input drive shaft and the oscillatory output drive shaft, one of which is such as to impart motion to the oscillatory output shaft in one sense in response to motion of the input drive shaft in a predetermined sense, and the other of which is such as to impart a motion to the output shaft in the opposite sense in response to motion of the input drive shaft in said predetermined sense, and each of which includes clutch means, said clutch means being responsive to the traverse rail reaching the required extent of its travel to change the drive to the output shaft from one path to the other so as to reverse the direction of travel of the traverse rail.

Preferably, the clutch means in each drive path comprises an electro-magnetic clutch which responds to electrical signals generated in dependence upon the position of the traverse rail, said signals being derived from a control circuit including a changeover switch which in one position applies a signal to cause engagement of one of the clutches and in the other position applies a signal to cause engagement of the other of the clutches.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to apparatus for use in the formation of cop and like package builds there is provided a control rod for operating the changeover switch, driving means for driving the control rod in response to oscillations of a shaft driven in accordance with the reciprocating motion of the traverse rail, and a differential gear mechanism interposed between the said driving means and the oscillatory shaft whereby a progressive angular movement can be imparted to the said means by an auxiliary input drive to the differential gear mechanism. The auxiliary input drive may be obtained from a ratchet and pawl device stepped forward during each traverse of the traverse rail.

In order to effect doffing of full packages in ring spinning machines hitherto proposed the traverse rail is brought to a lowermost position in which it is clear of the packages. It is at present the usual procedure in bringing the rail to the dofiing position for the operative first to wait until the machine is stopped when the package is full, then to restart the machine and bring the traverse rail down to the doffing position by a manual operation, and finally to stop the machine when the doffing position has been reached.

It will be apparent that this procedure is time absorbing and accordingly there is provided in the preferred embodiment of the invention means responsive to the apparatus reaching a predetermined state corresponding to the completion of a package build to cause the traverse rail thereupon to be moved automatically to the dofling position, and means for automatically stopping the apparatus when the traverse rail reaches said dofiing position. Preferably, said control means comprises a switch responsive to said apparatus reaching the said predetermined 3,097,475 Patented July 16, 1963 ice state to switch in an auxiliary drive to the said output drive shaft so as to bring the rail to the doffing position at high speed.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of driving apparatus for a ring rail of a ring spinning machine,

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of control mechanism for cnotrolling the driving apparatus shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a schematic part plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a schematic end view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 viewed in the direction of arrows IVIV, and

FIG. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of an electrical control circuit for controlling electro-magnetic clutches forming part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and for controlling the main driving motor of the spinning machine.

Referring first to FIG. 1, this shows a ring rail 1 of a spinning machine which is reciprocated vertically under the control of a draw bar 2, which is horizontally slidable and to which is attached flexible member 3 passing over guide pulley 4 and connected to the ring rail 1.

The draw bar 2 is reciprocated by a flexible connection 5 which passes over a guide pulley 6 and is secured to the periphery of a pulley 7, as best shown in FIG. 2, carried by an oscillatory shaft 8.

The shaft 8 carrying the pulley 7 is oscillated by the following means.

A main input drive is provided by a shaft 9, and this drive is transmitted to a free w heel device 10 mounted on a shaft 101, the free wheel device being designed in such a manner as to transmit motion to the shaft in one sense and yet permit the shaft to overrun in the same sense. Fastened to the shaft 101 is gear 11 and also the input member of a clutch 14, the output member of which is fastened to gear 16 and freely mounted on the shaft, so that in normal running the free wheel device drives gear 11 in a constant direction at a constant speed.

The drive from the gear wheel 11 may be transmitted to the pulley 7 through two alternative paths through one of which it causes the ring rail to move in an upward direction and through the other of which it causes the ring rail to move in a downward direction.

To drive the ring rail 1 in an upward direction, gear 11 drives gear 12, and an electro-magnetic clutch 13 is enengised to transmit the drive to a pair of bevels 141 and thence by worm and worm wheel 15 to the shaft 8 carrying the pulley 7.

To change the drive to one in which the ring rail is caused to move in a downward direction the electro-magnetic clutch 13 is de-energised and the electro-magnetic clutch 14 is energised. The drive from the free wheel de vice 10 is then transmitted through a gear 16, an idler gear 161 and gear 17 to the bevels 141, and from the bevels 141 to the shaft 8 and pulley 7. The introduction of the idler gear 161 between gears 16 and 17 serves to reverse the direction of rotation of the shaft 8 as compared with the direction of rotation imparted to it from the direct drive through gears 11 and 12 and clutch 13.

The control mechanism shown in FIGS. 2v and 3 will now be described.

When the ring rail 1 is being driven in the upward direction in the manner previously described, the flexible member 5 is wound on to the pulley 7, and a gear wheel 18 attached to the shaft 3 drives gear 19 in the opposite direction which in turn drives through a differential gear mechanism as hereinafter to be described a disc 20* loosely mounted on the same shaft as gear wheel 19 in a clockwise direction. When the ring rail is being driven downwardly the disc 20 is driven in an anti-clockwise direction.

In the position shown in FIG. 2, a control rod 21 weighted by a counterweight 22 is supported by a pin 201 on the disc 20 which engages the underside of an abutment 23 fixed to the rod 21. Movement of the disc 20 in an anti-clockwise direction allows the rod 21 to be lowered under the action of weight 22. At the upper end of rod 21 is an adjusting screw 24 which eventually contacts a bowl 25 on a lever of a reversing switch RS controlling the energisation of the clutches 13 and 14. The switch is such as to cause de-energisation of the clutch 14 and energisation of the clutch 13 when the switch lever is lowered and to cause de-energisation of the clutch 13 and energisation of the clutch 14 when the switch lever is raised. Such an arrangement clearly efiects reversal of direction of the ring rail at each end of the traverse.

On reversal of the direction of movement of the ring rail 1, disc 20 is driven in a clockwise direction and once again the pin 291 engages the abutment 23 on the rod 21, thus slowly raising the latter until a switch operating member 26 engages the bowl 25 of the reversing switch lever to de-energise clutch 13 and energise clutch 14.

The control system so far described provides a traverse of fixed length operating at a fixed position on the bobbin or package to be wound. To provide a cop-build it is necessary to give a constant length of chase to the ring rail and gradually lift the bottom position of each traverse. As shown in FIG. 2, a ratchet wheel 27 is picked around at each downward traverse by a pawl (not shown) secured by a suitable linkage to the rod 21.

The ratchet wheel 27 is fixed on a shaft 28 which carries a Worm 31 driving through suitable gearing a planet wheel 32 loosely mounted on shaft 33. As will be seen more clearly in FIG. 3, the planet wheel 32 carries a stud 34 on which a compound pinion 35 is mounted for rotation. One gear 36 of the compound pinion 35 engages a gear 37 secured to the shaft 33 and the other gear 38 of compound pinion 35 engages a gear 39 secured to the bush 39a loosely mounted on shaft 33. The gear 39 is coupled to drive disc 20 through a ratchet and pawl mechanism, comprising a ratchet wheel 40 secured to the bush 39a and a pawl 41 carried by the disc 20. It will be seen that when the shaft 33 is oscillated through gears 18 and 19 as the ring rail rises and falls gear 37 imparts a similar oscillation to the ratchet wheel 40 through gears 36 and 38, and the disc 20 is caused to turn in one sense by a positive drive on the pawl 41 from the ratchet wheel 40' and in the opposite sense by the weight of the control rod 21. The disc 20 will always oscillate through a fixed distance at approximately the same position because the control rod 21 which it operates can only move through a fixed distance as its movement is limited by the reversing switch which is operated by it. In order to form a cop build it is necessary to give a constant length of chase to the ring Iail and also to gradually lift the bottom position of the ring rail. This gradual lift to the ring rail is imparted by the ratchet wheel 27 which is picked around at each downward traverse of the ring rail and drives planet wheel 32 in the manner previously described. Movement of planet wheel 32 and stud 34 carried thereby causes compound pinion 35 to move around gear 37, which is secured to shaft 33, and gear 36 engaging gear 37 is thus turned about the axis of the stud 34 and the other gear 38 of the compound pinion 35 is turned with it and imparts a slight additional drive to gear '3? and to ratchet wheel 40. Ratchet wheel 40 is drivingly connected with disc 20 through pawl 41 and a slight additional movement is therefore given to disc 20 at each downward traverse of the ring rail so that the reversing switch is operated when the rail reaches a position just before the lowest position of the traverse, whereupon the drive to the ring rail is reversed. In this manner the bottom position of each traverse is gradually lifted throughout the build.

When the cop-build is completed the ring rail will be in the highest position. It is arranged that in this position a switch Q is operated by an abutment 35' to signal that the build is complete and that it is necessary to wind down the ring rail for dotting. This winding down operation is performed by the electro-magnetic clutch 14 (or the auxiliary clutch 34' as later described) and during this winding down operation the shaft 33 through gears 18 and 19 will automatically be driven back to the position which it occupied at the commencement of the build. The disc 20 will however be out of position and to re-set this it would normally be necessary to wind back the ratchet wheel 27 manually.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 4, in particular, makes it unnecessary to wind back the ratchet 27 manually after dotting. When winding down the ring rail for dotfing the ratchet wheel 40 is turned in the direction shown by arrow a (anti-clockwise) from the shaft 33 in the manner previously explained, and the disc 20 is turned by the action of the weight 22 with the pawl 41 in engagement the the ratchet wheel. A peg 42 on the disc 24) acts against an adjustable stop screw 43 to limit the turning movement of the disc, so that it comes to rest at a position approximating to its normal lowermost position as shown in FIG. 4. The ratchet wheel 40, of course, continues to be driven in the direction shown by the arrow and the teeth of the ratchet over-ride the pawl 41 due to the action of the pawl spring. The ring rail is dropped to a position slightly below the lowermost position of the package build to wind on a number of dolfing coils, and it is arranged that at this point the pawl 41 is spaced from the next tooth of the ratchet wheel 40, so that when the ring rail is wound up to the aforesaid lowermost position for the new build the ratchet wheel 4% turns slightly and comes into contact with the pawl 41 exactly as the ring rail reaches that position. The mechanism is then in the position required for starting the new build.

The normal downward speed of the ring rail may, under certain conditions, be too slow for the dotting preparation procedure and additional mechanism is provided in the present embodiment to ensure that the movement of the rail to the dofiing position is completed more rapidly. The additional mechanism comprises an electro-magnetic clutch 34 driven by a belt or chain 44 from the free Wheel device 10. When the clutch 34' is energised by operation of the switch Q a drive is transmitted back to the shaft 101 carrying the gear 11 and input side of clutch 14. This imparts a higher speed than normal to the shaft 101, which is possible since the free wheel device 10 allows the shaft to overrun in relation to the normal input drive from shaft 9.

Referring to FIG. 1, during the build of the cop, the ring rail 1 gradually assumes a higher position and draw bar 2 also moves horizontally until at the highest position of the ring rail switch Q is operated by abutment 35 on the draw bar 2.

Referring now to FIG. 5, on the operation of switch Q contacts q1 switch over to the position shown in dotted line and relay SR energises. Holding contacts srl close to hold the relay SR energised after the release of the switch contacts ql. Contacts sr'2 close while contacts .913 open, thereby ensuring that the winding DC of the Gown clutch 14 is energised and the winding UC of the clutch 13 de-energised. Contacts sr4 close and the winding AC of the auxiliary clutch 34 energises causing this clutch to become engaged. The drive from the input shaft 9 (FIG. 1) is then transmitted by the clutch 34 to the shaft 8, and causes the ring rail 1 to be lowered at high speed. When the ring rail 1 reaches the dolfing position usually just below the normal starting position for the build, switch P is operated by the abutment 35' so that its contacts p1 change over from the position shown to the position shown in dotted line, thereby causing the de-energisation of the relay SR as well as the deenergisation of winding MC of the motor contactor for the main driving motor M. At the same time, relay DR energises and causes its normally closed contacts drl to open, thereby cutting off the supply to the windings of the three clutches 13, 14 and 34. The de-energisation of the winding MC of the motor con-tactor causes the contacts mc2 to close, and energises the winding BR of an electro-magnetically operated brake. By suitable adjustment of a rheostat R it is arranged that a number of difiing coils are wound on to the bobbin whilst the ring rail 1 is stationary in the lowermost position.

The machine is now stationary and ready for doffing. After dofiing and replacement of new bobbins the machine is re-started by depressing a manually operable start button.

The reversing switch RS hereinbefore referred to in the description of the operation of the mechanism shown in FlG. 2 is provided with contacts rsl shown in FIG. 5, which are connected in the energising circuits of the clutches 13 and 14 and which serve to connect the one or other of the clutches in circuit in dependence upon the position of the switch lever of the switch RS. As will be seen the energising supply for the clutches 13, 14 and 34-, is provided by the output of a full-wave rectifier MR fed with an AC. supply from the transformer T. Conventional start and stop buttons are connected in the energising circuit of the main motor contaetor MC, the start button being shunted in conventional manner by holding contacts mcl which close upon energisation of the contactor MC. In addition, there is provided a conventional cleaner motor C which can be connected to drive the fan for the suction apparatus by operation of a further contactor CC energised upon the closure of an additional start button, shunted by holding contacts ccl.

It will be seen that the normal down clutch 14 is also energised when the clutch 34' becomes energised. In circumstances where it is unnecessary to provide for high speed lowering of the ring rail the clutch 34' may be cut out by a manually-operable switch (not shown) or dispensed with altogether.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for lifting and lowering a traverse rail in a textile ring spinning or like machine comprising an input drive shaft, an oscillatory output drive shaft coupled to the traverse rail to impart a lifting and lowering motion to the rail, and two drive paths connected in parallel between the input drive shaft and the oscillatory output drive shaft, one of which is such as to impart motion to the oscillatory output shaft in one sense in response to motion of the input drive shaft in a predetermined sense, and the other of which is such as to impart a motion to the output shaft in the opposite sense in response to motion of the input drive shaft in said predetermined sense, and each of which includes clutch means, said clutch means being responsive to the traverse rail reaching the required extent of its travel to change drive to the output shaft from one path to the other so as to reverse the direction of travel of the traverse rail.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said clutch means comprises an electro-magnetic clutch in one of the paths which responds to electrical signals generated in dependence upon the position of the traverse rail.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said clutch means further comprises an electromagnetic clutch in the other of said paths which is responsive to signals generated in dependence upon the position of the traverse rail.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, comprising a control circuit including a changeover switch, which in one position serves to apply a signal to cause engagement of one of the clutches, and in the other position applies a signal to cause engagement of the other clutch.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, comprising a control rod for operating the changeover switch, driving means for driving the control rod in response to oscillations of a shaft driven in accordance with the reciprocating motion of the traverse rail, and a differential gear mechanism interposed between the said driving means and the oscillatory shaft whereby a progressive angular movement can be imparted to the said means by an auxiliary input drive to the differential gear mechanism.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the auxiliary input drive is obtained from a ratchet and pawl device stepped forward during each traverse of the traverse rail.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said driving means includes a ratchet and pawl device arranged to move in one sense to impart a drive from the output of the differential gear mechanism to the control rod to move the control rod against a biasing force and to overrun in response to a drive in the opposite sense and allow the control rod to be moved by said biasing force to a limiting position corresponding to the dofiing position of the traverse rail.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said biasing force is provided by a weight on the central rod.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising control means responsive to the apparatus reaching a predetermined state corresponding to the completion of a package build to cause the traverse rail thereupon to be moved automatically to the dotting position, and means for automatically stopping the apparatus when the traverse rail reaches said dofling position.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said control means comprises a switch responsive to said apparatus reaching the said predetermined state to switch in an auxiliary drive to the said output drive shaft so as to bring the rail to the dofiing position at high speed.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said auxiliary drive comprises a drive path connected between the said input drive shaft and the said oscillatory output drive shaft, and in parallel with the other two drive paths, said auxiliary drive path including clutch means which engages when said apparatus reaches said predetermined state.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the clutch means in the auxiliary drive path comprises an electromagnetic clutch responsive to signals generated in dependence upon the position of the traverse rail.

No references cited. 

1. APPARATUS FOR LIFTING AND LOWERING A TRAVERSE RAIL IN A TEXTILE RING SPINNING OR LIKE MACHINE COMPRISING AN INPUT DRIVE SHAFT, AN OCCILLATORY OUTPUT DRIVE SHAFT COUPLED TO THE TRAVERSE RAIL IMPART A LIFTING AND LOWERING MOTION TO THE RAIL, AND TWO DRIVE PATHS CONNECTED IN PARALLEL BETWEEN THE INPUT DRIVE SHAFT AND THE OSCILLATOR OUTPUT DRIVE SHAFT, ONE OF WHICH IS SUCH AS TO IMPART MOTION TO THE OSCILLATORY OUTPUT SHAFT IN ONE SENSE IN RESPONSE TO MOTION OF THE INPUT DRIVE SHAFT IN A PREDETER- 